Directs the commissioner of motor vehicles to provide a space on the forms of identification cards and licenses for a notation for returned peace corps volunteers.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
11434
IN ASSEMBLY
May 15, 2026
___________
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Eachus) --
read once and referred to the Committee on Transportation
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to forms of
identification cards and licenses of peace corps volunteers
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subparagraph (i) of paragraph (a) and paragraph (b) of
2 subdivision 3 of section 490 of the vehicle and traffic law, subpara-
3 graph (i) of paragraph (a) as amended by chapter 487 of the laws of
4 2012, and paragraph (b) as amended by section 97 of part PP of chapter
5 56 of the laws of 2022, are amended to read as follows:
6 (i) The commissioner shall upon submission of an appropriate applica-
7 tion, upon payment of the prescribed fee, and upon being satisfied that
8 the person described is the applicant and that such applicant meets the
9 requirements set forth in subdivision two of this section, issue to such
10 applicant a nontransferable identification card. In addition, the
11 commissioner also shall require that an applicant for an identification
12 card or renewal thereof provide [his or her] their social security
13 number. The commissioner shall provide space so that an applicant may
14 request a notation upon such identification card that [he or she] such
15 applicant is a veteran of the United States armed forces or a returned
16 peace corps volunteer.
17 (b) The identification card shall contain a distinguishing number or
18 mark and adequate space upon which an anatomical gift, pursuant to arti-
19 cle forty-three of the public health law, by the holder may be recorded
20 and shall contain such other information and shall be issued in such
21 form as the commissioner shall determine; provided, however, every iden-
22 tification card or renewal thereof issued to a person under the age of
23 twenty-one years shall have prominently imprinted thereon the statement
24 "UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE" in notably distinctive print or format.
25 Provided, further, however, that every identification card issued to an
26 applicant who was a member of the armed forces of the United States and
27 (i) received an honorable discharge or was released therefrom under
28 honorable conditions, or (ii) has a qualifying condition, as defined in
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14879-02-6
A. 11434 2
1 section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a discharge
2 other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service, or (iii) is a
3 discharged LGBT veteran, as defined in section one of the veterans'
4 services law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or
5 dishonorable from such service, shall, upon [his or her] such appli-
6 cant's request and submission of proof as set forth herein, contain a
7 distinguishing mark, in such form as the commissioner shall determine,
8 indicating that [he or she] such applicant is a veteran. Such proof
9 shall consist of a certificate of release or discharge from active duty
10 including but not limited to a DD Form 214 or other proof satisfactory
11 to the commissioner. Provided, further, however, that every identifica-
12 tion card issued to an applicant who is a returned peace corps volunteer
13 shall, upon such applicant's request and submission of proof as set
14 forth herein, contain a distinguishing mark, in such form as the commis-
15 sioner shall determine, indicating that such applicant is a returned
16 peace corps volunteer. Such proof shall consist of a certification
17 issued by the United States peace corps verifying the applicant's satis-
18 factory completion of service, which may be in the form of a certificate
19 or description of service signed by the country director or other
20 authorized peace corps official, or equivalent documentation issued by
21 the peace corps evidencing satisfactory completion of service. The
22 commissioner shall not require fees for the issuance of such identifica-
23 tion cards or renewals thereof to persons under twenty-one years of age
24 which are different from the fees required for the issuance of identifi-
25 cation cards or renewals thereof to persons twenty-one years of age or
26 over, nor fees to persons requesting a veteran or returned peace corps
27 volunteer distinguishing mark which are different from fees that would
28 otherwise be required. Provided, however, that notwithstanding the
29 provisions of section four hundred ninety-one of this article, the
30 commissioner shall not require any fees for the duplication or amendment
31 of an identification card prior to its renewal if such duplication or
32 amendment was solely for the purpose of adding a veteran or returned
33 peace corps volunteer distinguishing mark to such identification card.
34 § 2. Subdivision 1 of section 502 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
35 amended by chapter 597 of the laws of 2025, is amended to read as
36 follows:
37 1. Application for license. Application for a driver's license shall
38 be made to the commissioner. The fee prescribed by law may be submitted
39 with such application. The applicant shall furnish such proof of identi-
40 ty, age, and fitness as may be required by the commissioner. With
41 respect to a non-commercial driver's license or learner's permit which
42 does not meet federal standards for identification, in addition to the
43 acceptable proofs of age and identity approved by the commissioner as of
44 January first, two thousand nineteen, acceptable proof of identity shall
45 also include, but not be limited to, a valid, unexpired foreign passport
46 issued by the applicant's country of citizenship (which shall also be
47 eligible as proof of age), a valid, unexpired consular identification
48 document issued by a consulate from the applicant's country of citizen-
49 ship, or a valid foreign driver's license that includes a photo image of
50 the applicant and which is unexpired or expired for less than twenty-
51 four months of its date of expiration, as primary forms of such proof.
52 Nothing contained in this subdivision shall be deemed to preclude the
53 commissioner from approving additional proofs of identity and age. The
54 license shall display the sex designation of M, F, or X as certified by
55 the applicant, with no additional documentation required. The applicant
56 may amend the sex designation of their driver's license upon request.
A. 11434 3
1 Upon amendment of the sex designation, the change shall be made consist-
2 ent through all affiliated records within the control of the department.
3 The commissioner may also provide that the application procedure shall
4 include the taking of a photo image or images of the applicant in
5 accordance with rules and regulations prescribed by the commissioner. In
6 addition, the commissioner also shall require that the applicant provide
7 such applicant's social security number or, in lieu thereof, with
8 respect to an application for a non-commercial driver's license or
9 learner's permit which does not meet federal standards for identifica-
10 tion, an affidavit signed by such applicant that they have not been
11 issued a social security number. The commissioner also shall provide
12 space on the application so that the applicant may request a notation
13 upon such license that such applicant is a veteran of the United States
14 armed forces or a returned peace corps volunteer, and space on the
15 application so that the applicant may request a notation upon such
16 license that such person is a veteran of the United States armed forces
17 or a returned peace corps volunteer, and space on the application so
18 that the applicant may register in the New York state organ and tissue
19 donor registry under section forty-three hundred ten of the public
20 health law with the following stated on the application in clear and
21 conspicuous type:
22 "You must fill out the following section: Would you like to be added
23 to the Donate Life Registry? Check box for 'yes' or 'skip this ques-
24 tion'."
25 The commissioner of health shall not maintain records of any person
26 who checks "skip this question". Except where the application is made in
27 person or electronically, failure to check a box shall not impair the
28 validity of an application, and failure to check "yes" or checking "skip
29 this question" shall not be construed to imply a wish not to donate. In
30 the case of an applicant under eighteen years of age, checking "yes"
31 shall not constitute consent to make an anatomical gift or registration
32 in the donate life registry, except as otherwise provided pursuant to
33 the provisions of paragraph (b) of subdivision one of section forty-
34 three hundred one of the public health law. Where an applicant has
35 previously consented to make an anatomical gift or registered in the
36 donate life registry, checking "skip this question" or failing to check
37 a box shall not impair that consent or registration. Additionally, the
38 commissioner shall ensure that space is provided on the application for
39 a driver's license or renewal thereof to advise applicants of the exist-
40 ence of the C.W. Bill Young Cell Transplantation Program established in
41 42 U.S.C. Section 274k or the national marrow donor program ("registry
42 operator") and to allow for applicants to consent to sharing their
43 information with the registry operator for the purposes of receiving
44 information from the registry operator about enrolling as a potential
45 volunteer bone marrow or blood cell donor on the national registry. Such
46 information related to the consenting applicant shared with the registry
47 operator shall be limited to first and last name, date of birth, email
48 address, and physical address. In addition, an applicant for a commer-
49 cial driver's license who will operate a commercial motor vehicle in
50 interstate commerce shall certify that such applicant meets the require-
51 ments to operate a commercial motor vehicle, as set forth in public law
52 99-570, title XII, and title 49 of the code of federal regulations, and
53 all regulations promulgated by the United States secretary of transpor-
54 tation under the hazardous materials transportation act. In addition, an
55 applicant for a commercial driver's license shall submit a medical
56 certificate at such intervals as required by the federal motor carrier
A. 11434 4
1 safety improvement act of 1999 and Part 383.71(h) of title 49 of the
2 code of federal regulations relating to medical certification and in a
3 manner prescribed by the commissioner. For purposes of this section and
4 sections five hundred three, five hundred ten-a, and five hundred ten-aa
5 of this title, the terms "medical certificate" and "medical certif-
6 ication" shall mean a form substantially in compliance with the form set
7 forth in Part 391.43(h) of title 49 of the code of federal regulations.
8 Upon a determination that the holder of a commercial driver's license
9 has made any false statement, with respect to the application for such
10 license, the commissioner shall revoke such license.
11 § 3. Subdivision 1 of section 504 of the vehicle and traffic law is
12 amended by adding a new paragraph (a-2) to read as follows:
13 (a-2) Every license or renewal thereof issued to an applicant who is a
14 returned peace corps volunteer shall, upon such applicant's request and
15 submission of proof as set forth herein, contain a distinguishing mark,
16 in such form as the commissioner shall determine, indicating that such
17 applicant is a returned peace corps volunteer. Such proof shall consist
18 of a certification issued by the United States peace corps verifying the
19 applicant's satisfactory completion of service, which may be in the form
20 of a certificate or description of service signed by the country direc-
21 tor or other authorized peace corps official, or equivalent documenta-
22 tion issued by the peace corps evidencing satisfactory completion of
23 service. The commissioner shall not require fees for the issuance of
24 such licenses or renewals thereof to persons requesting a returned peace
25 corps volunteer notation which is different from fees otherwise
26 required; provided, however, that notwithstanding the provisions of this
27 section, the commissioner shall not require fees for a duplication or
28 amendment of a license prior to its renewal if such duplication or
29 amendment was solely for the purpose of adding a returned peace corps
30 volunteer distinguishing mark to such license.
31 § 4. Section 508 of the vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a
32 new subdivision 8 to read as follows:
33 8. The commissioner is directed to establish a process by which the
34 department shall refer driver's license and non-driver identification
35 card applicants requesting and obtaining a notation upon such license or
36 non-driver identification card that such applicant is a returned peace
37 corps volunteer pursuant to subdivision three of section four hundred
38 ninety of this chapter or subdivision one of section five hundred two of
39 this article, upon such applicant's request, to the peace corps.
40 § 5. This act shall take effect one year after it shall have become a
41 law; provided, however, that the amendments to subdivision 1 of section
42 502 of the vehicle and traffic law made by section two of this act shall
43 take effect on the same date and in the same manner as chapter 597 of
44 the laws of 2025, takes effect. Effective immediately, the addition,
45 amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary for the
46 implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized to be
47 made and completed on or before such effective date.
